Sign



Dec. 29, 1936 w. s. ROCKWELL 2,065,872

- SIGN Filed 001;. 26, 1934 2 Sheeis-Sfieet l Dec. 29, 19 36. w. s.ROCKWELL 29651872 SIGN Filgd Oct. 26, 1934 asn ets-sfie t 2 33, I @1117,M0 O'ZLLZZ Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES FATE @FFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to signs and particularly to signs formed ofself-hardening plastic material, such as concrete, cement and othersimilar substances. While signs constructed in accordance with thepresent invention are especially suitable for roadways, pavements andthe like, they may also be used in other places, such, for example, ason the sides and tops of buildings of any description or on bill-boards.

The principal object of the invention is to provide means whereby a signmay be easily and quickly formed of two or more self-hardening plasticmaterials having distinguishing characteristics, such, for example, ascolor, one of the plastic materials constituting the desired symbol andthe other surrounding it.

A primary feature of the invention consists in providing a woven wirebacking which is adapted to be embedded in self-hardening plasticmaterial to which is secured wire defining the outline of a symbol andconstituting a form for receiving self-hardening plastic material havinga difierent characteristic than that in which the woven wire isembedded.

Other and more specific features of the invention, residing inadvantageous forms, combinations and relations of parts, willhereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating different embodiments of the invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the woven wire backing to which wire definingthe outline of the symbol is secured.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the completed sign as applied to a finishedroadway.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a plan View of a sign similar to the one illustrated inFigure 2 but employing wire for defining a symbol of somewhat differentcross sectional shape.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the woven wire backing to which is secured awire defining a form for a symbol, such as a straight band.

Figure 7 is a plan View showing the structure of Figure 6 embodied in aroadway.

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 88 of Figure'7.

Referring in detail to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1,2 and 3 thereof, I indicates the wire backing comprising a plurality ofwires which are preferably woven to provide a wire mesh or fabric. Thesize of the mesh for each particular sign will, of course, depend uponthe size of the Sign, small signs preferably having a wire backing ofclose or small mesh and large signs having a comparatively large meshbacking. Secured to the wire backing is wire 2 of larger gauge than thatof the backing which is bent to define the outline of the desiredsymbol. In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3,inclusive, the symbol is the word STOP. Some of the letters of thisword, such as S and T may, as shown, be respectively formed from singlepieces of wire properly bent, while letters such as O and P can be mostconveniently formed by a plurality of properly bent wires. The wiresdefining each letter of the symbol are secured in the desired positionsto the backing preferably by electric welding, although it will bereadily appreciated that other means may be employed for connecting thelarge gauge wire to the backing. The wires defining the outline of therequired symbol being of comparatively large gauge constitute forms fora self-hardening plastic material 3, such as concrete, cement or thelike. The plastic material within the form is made substantially flushwith the upper Surface thereof and, in order that the symbol defined bythe form will be distinguishable from the self-hardening material isurrounding it, the latter is preferably of a contrasting color. Theplastic material 4 is also substantially flush with the upper edge ofthe form or forms defining the symbol and, while it may, in the case ofa roadway, be of the same color and character as that of the roadway, itmay be desirable to have the plastic material forming the symbol of thesame character as that of the roadway and to have the plastic materialimmediately surrounding the symbol of a contrasting color, such, forinstance, as red. This may be accomplished by enclosing the formsdefining the symbol within a border formed by a suitably bent wire orrod 5 of the same gauge as that defining the form, which in itselfprovides a form for receiving the plastic material surrounding the formsof the symbol.

A sign of this character is particularly adaptable to finished orcompleted roadways, since it may be applied thereto by merely placing onthe roadway wire backing to which wire defining the outline of thedesired symbol has been secured and subsequently insertingself-hardening plastic material of one color within the forms definingthe symbol and a self-hardening plastic material of a different colorwithin the space between the forms of the symbol and the border wire 5.

' Additional self-hardening plastic material, which may be of the samecharacter as that of the roadway, may be applied around the border wire5, as shown at 6, to provide the sign with a feather edge. To secure avery firm bond between the roadway and the plastic material of the signin which the wire backing thereof is embedded and thus to firmly anchorthe sign to the roadway, it is desirable to thoroughly clean the surfaceof the roadway to which the sign is applied and then it may be paintedwith a mixture of cement and water of the consistency of a thick cream,which should be kept damp until substantially all of the plasticmaterial of the sign has been applied. In many cases, however, where theroadway or other surface to which the sign is to be applied iscomparatively clean, the bond between the sign and the surface to whichit is to be fixed is effectively obtained by at least one of the plasticmaterials constituting the sign, which readily passes downwardly throughthe interstices of the woven wire backing and contacts the surface towhich the structure is applied. In this manner, the backing is securelylocked in the plastic, serving as a reinforcement thereof, and theplastic effectively forms a bond between the sign and the roadway orother surface. 7

Figures 4 to 8, inclusive, illustrate other embodiments of theinvention. Figures 4 and 5 show a wire 1 of square cross section securedto a wire backing 8. The wire I is bent to define ,the outline of arectangular area, such as the safety zones provided for pedestrians insome roadways and it constitutes a form for receiving plastic materialof a color contrasting with that of adjacent material. This sign isshown in conjunction with a completed roadway and it is applied theretoin'substantially the same manner as the one illustrated in Figures 1 to3, inclusive,

only differing from the latter in that the wire constituting the form isof different cross sectional shape. e

In. Figure 6, a'woven wire backing 9 is shown to which is secured asuitably bent wire or rod I0 defining the outline of a band or line,which is customarily used to define traffic lanes in many roadways. Thewire [0 constitutes a form for self-hardening plastic material of adifferent character than-portions of the roadway imrnediately adjacentthereto. The wire backing 9 and form it are incorporated in the roadwayas the latter is being built and the upper edge of the wire Iii,constituting the form, is flush with the upper surface of the roadway;In this form of the invention, the wire or rod I0 is shown as being ofsubstantially rectangular shape in cross I 1. A sign including aflexible open mesh backing adapted to be embedded in self-hardeningplastic material, the interstices of the backing being of a size as topermit the plastic material to pass therethrough, and wire of rod-likeform defining the outline of a symbol secured to said backing, said wirebeing of such cross sectional area as to project a sufficient distancefrom the adjacent face of the backing to' provide a form for retainingself-hardening plastic material of a different color than that in whichthe backing is adapted to be embedded.

2. A sign including a woven wire backing adapted to be embedded inself-hardening plastic material and wire of larger gauge than the wovenwire welded to said backing, said larger gauge wire defining the outlineof a symbol and constituting a form for" receiving plastic material ofdifferent character than that in which said backing is embedded.

3. A sign including a woven wire backing, wire of larger gauge than thewoven wire secured to said backing, said larger gauge wire defining theoutline of a symbol and constituting a form, selfhardening plasticmaterial withinsaid'form, and self-hardening plastic materialsurrounding said form and embedding said backing, said plastic materialsbeing of different color and the upper edge of the form beingsubstantially flush with adjacent portions of said plastic materials.

4. A sign for a completed roadway including a woven wire backingsupported on the upper sur face of the roadway, wire of larger gaugethanthe woven wire secured to said backing and extending upwardlytherefrom, said larger gauge wire defining the outline of a symbol andconstituting a form, self-hardening. plastic material. within said form,and self-hardening plastic ma-

